I Need Four More of Me ~ by Vonnie Davis

Happy Saturday, my lovelies. Or it would be if this migraine that's plagued me for three days would go away. I suspect this one was brought on by stress. As is typical for me, I've over-extended myself. I need four more of me. Do you do that? If you're a typical woman, I'm betting you do. We're masters at multi-tasking and often "wienies" at saying no to more projects.

Over the years, we've been sold a bill of goods that women can do it all. Well, yes, that goes without saying. We have and do, but we also take on more little projects than any man would ever attempt...just to prove we can. Frankly, at sixty-five, I'm ready to weaken a little. I don't need to prove anything to anyone. Now if only I can convince myself to do what I'm saying.

My edits for my HarperCollins story are completed. Random House has still to send me theirs for book one of my Scottish paranormal series. I need to start book two, but my agent tells me to wait until I see how much Random House will change book one. I already know they want me to add more sex--something that doesn't come easy for this old broad. I struggle with writing every intimacy. Not that I'm a prude; it's just how many ways are there to write basically the same action so it feels fresh and emotionally right for this particular couple? In The Highlander's Beloved, I didn't get them to that point until nearly the end of the book. My editor at Random House claims that's too late. She wants them doing "the wild fandango" early on in the story. Gee, I was trying to develop their love for each other first--what an old-fashioned concept. Still, waiting so long to start book two is giving me a fair amount of angst. I want to work on Ronan's story. He's starting to complain that I'm ignoring him.

Armando is complaining, too. You see he's very attracted to a breast cancer survivor. He wants to show her how good life can be with a new man who will stand beside her. Oh, and he has such delightful things planned on how to romance her...or so he keeps telling me. It'll be my first middle-aged romance. When I can get around to working on it a little more.

For now, though, Lance is commanding my main focus. He's a shadow, a mercenary, and a piece of macho work, ladies. He insists on calling my heroine sweetheart, something she hates--well, kind of, although I think she's protesting too much. Lance, or Rambo-Romeo as she calls him, is protecting her while she's on the run from a vengeful senator and his lackeys. Lance is hero one in my Eagle's Shadow Series, romantic suspense for those of you who enjoy the rush of danger. Normally I finish book one before I begin the next one, but the heroine in book two just would not leave me alone until I wrote chapter one. I think she feared I'd forget her. As if I could the way she keeps pestering me. As for book three? Ohhhh, don't even get me started. ZQ, head of this band of ex-military covert ops dudes, started ordering me around two weeks ago and I caved. That's right, I wrote a couple chapters of book three before reaching the halfway point in book one. How ludicrous is that? Let me tell you ladies, if that bossy ZQ doesn't stop leaning on me, he's not getting any sex until the final chapter. "You hear that, ZQ? Don't make me put on my mother face..."

This weekend, however, I'm finishing a Christmas short story for another group blog I'm part of, something we do every year. We each post a chapter a day of our holiday reads during the month of December. Nine authors; nine different short stories, each starting with the same phrase.

I truly need four more of me to write each project. Wouldn't that be nice? My mind could take a break. Only one romantic couple could hound me at a time. My desk would be less cluttered with character descriptions, plotlines and research. I could breathe easier. And maybe this infernal migraine would fade away.

Have an awesome weekend. I'll be watching football and kissing the computer keys with my fingertips.

You can read more about Vonnie at www.vonniedavis.com

AT WAR WITH THE AUTOMATED VOICE AND THE EVIL GEEKS WHO INVENTED HIM (IT?)

By Brenda Chitwood

I'm not, normally. a violent person. I'm not, normally, an impatient person.  Today I wanted to commit violent acts against the big mammoth communications company which I shall call Big Name Company. I'm sure you have all been there. You just want to talk to a real person.

The back up battery for my system has not worked for over a year. The Big Name Company service guy told me it was a bad battery and he would bring me a new one. That was last November. The silly thing has a beeping alarm that goes off every 10 hours. I have to get up in the early morning hours and reset it, then do it again later.

I called Big Name Company this morning and punched buttons, answered the dreaded automated voice which assured me my system was working fine. That wasn't the problem, but the options list didn't cover; "For stupid, broken, back up battery replacement, press 666 and pray".

After repeating that I wanted to talk to a service representative several times, Automated Voice cheerfully beeped and popped until a heavily accented male voice named Alvin, came on the line. He had a very cheerful voice, too. (I'm beginning to hate the word "cheerful.")

When I could understand his heavily accented questions, I dutifully picked up the five pound battery, turned it upside down, sideways and upright--three times to find a non-existent model number. Then he told me it was probably inside. Well, gee whiz. I don't happen to have a screw driver on me.

Final results, I have to call the battery company and beg for a real person to send me a real battery, if I can find the model and serial numbers.  Alvin cheerfully asked if there was anything else and to have a pleasant day. I hate Alvin, too.

No jury would convict me.  Remember the woman who got fed up with her cable company and went to their office and smashed the computer at the front desk? Well, I'm with you sister,  I'm getting my hammer.

Trick or Treat . . . All Hallows' Evening!

Trick or Treat . . . All Hallows’ Evening

by Tessa Gray

            I’m always fascinated by the lengths people go to when it comes to decorating their homes for Halloween. I must confess I’m a bit of a “Halloween Scrooge” about celebrating the event. My view is that Halloween is nothing more than a preamble to Thanksgiving, and we need to get it over with as quickly as possible. The decoration on this post is one my daughter, Megan, made us over twenty years ago. When you drop by our home for a visit, it’s the only sign of Halloween you’ll see.

            If you’re a fan of Halloween, you have the Scots and Brits to thank because when they immigrated to America, they brought this Gaelic tradition (dating back to the Middle Ages) with them. Legend has it that people of Gaelic descent believed that on October 31^st of every year, the boundaries between the living and dead overlapped when those who had passed on came back to earth, damaging crops and causing illness.  I suspect people back then were as relieved to get Halloween over with as I am. I do have some Irish blood in me, so perhaps I’m channeling one of my ancestors.

            Halloween began gaining momentum in America during the twentieth century, but when World War II was being fought and sugar was rationed, much of the celebration was placed on hold from April of 1942 until June of 1947. Initially Halloween was called All Hallows’ Evening but eventually, it was dubbed Halloween.

            The first Halloween costume I recall wearing was a tattered, white bed sheet, as I pretended to be Casper the Friendly Ghost. As you can see, we Minnesotans didn’t plunk down a lot of money for costumes. Of course, it doesn’t always have to be about money. When I approached puberty and my foster mom wouldn’t allow me to wear make-up, I skirted around the issue by dressing up like a gypsy, piling on all the lipstick and rouge I could get my hands on! As the old saying goes, this ‘killed two birds with one stone’ because I didn’t have to spend much money, and I was allowed to wear a week’s worth of makeup in one night.

            The most innovative costume I’ve ever seen was in a Lawrenceville, New Jersey school parade where a little guy dressed as a Lipton teabag. His very creative mother stuffed gorgeous, brilliantly colored leaves into a clear, plastic bag and wrote the Lipton Tea logo at the top. I wish I’d taken a picture. We Americans can be innovative, can’t we?

            But as blasé’ as I am about Halloween, there is one that’s forever etched in my memory. My foster sister and I shared a bedroom and had just gone to bed and turned off the lights when we saw a large, gnarled shaped twig scraping against our window. Startled, we sat up in bed and stared at one another. The scraping continued, and before long, a low moan could be heard just outside our window. By now we were clinging to one another like passengers on a lifeboat. Within minutes, we saw my foster mother’s face appear in the window as she screamed, “Boo!”

            That incident, as silly as it was, provided me with an important life lesson. My foster mother had just enough ‘kid’ in her to remind me that life is to be enjoyed; a little playfulness is always a good thing. When she passed on several years ago, I shared that impactful moment at her memorial service and it brought smiles to those who knew her well.

            In the course of our lives, there are many reasons to celebrate, but in that celebration, we need to remind ourselves that as we live each day, we’re creating memories; memories that are powerful; memories that we’ll share with our loved ones. It’s important, even for me, a non-celebrator of Halloween, to remember to take time to “play.” I’m thankful for a foster mother who had enough ‘kid’ in her to teach me a valuable life lesson. As I share this memory, with you, my readers, I’ve made the decision to add a couple of decorations to the house and get into the spirit of Halloween.

            Happy All Hallows’ Evening, and if you see any ghosts out there, I hope they’re as friendly as Casper.

             

What I Learned From Launching a Book

by Geri Foster
Hi all,

My dear readers, I want to start out by saying you've taught me so much about what to write and how to write better stories. Also, you showed me how to get your attention and keep it. The next thing this writer knew, she had FANS!

Yay, we all love FANS!

It's the reason writers write. We hope our books touch you in a very special way and you'll tell your friends, and the good news will be passed on and on. It's also important to point out that many of our fans wait patiently for our next release.

Writers get excited about that!

When I launched Out of the Night, I will be honest and tell you I didn't know what I was doing, but I'd been on 9 Ways to Fall in Love long enough to figure it out.

First off, readers want to know writers. They become our friends, and they work tirelessly to promote our books and us. But, they still want that little part of you that's usually keep hidden away for safe keeping. Writers are always afraid while you might love our books, you'll find us boring and unrecognizable. After all, we put up a picture that's twenty years old and don't bother to update. We're not trying to fool anyone, we just like the picture. :)

So, what I learned during a launch is that a reader will like you if you like, and respect them in return. They ask little and give a lot. We had a blast on my launch party and I made so many friends, I couldn't believe it. We joked, we laughed, we talked about everything. I didn't hold anything back. I was myself, and felt free because I was among friends. So, the most valuable thing taken away from the launch was friendship and love. The love of reading a good book, by someone they know and supported.

This blog is to my friends, Street Teams, and all those who read my books and left heart melting reviews.

Happy Endings!
Geri

GOBLINS, TURKEYS, SANTA, AND NEW YEARS

Hi, Everyone! I know it's early, but I can't help myself. The excitement is building within me for the Holidays. The last few years have been somewhat lack luster for whatever reason, but this fall I'm downright giddy. I think the reason has to do with the projects I've been working on are being completed, one by one and that's a great feeling.

 In July, I finished my first book, CODE OF HONOR, Texas Code Series, Book One, and published it on Amazon. This book has gone through many revisions and transformations to become a book of which I'm very proud. Here's a short blurb:

Graeme McAlister's determined to unearth the truth behind his brother's implausible suicide but, when he sees his widowed sister-in-law, will he be able to handle the biggest revelation of all? 

After the death of her husband, Maggie Benning resolves to establish a successful and independent life for herself and her son, Andy. Can she overcome past hurt and loss of trust to accept a new love in her life? 

Travel to McTiernan, Texas and fall in love under . . . Texas Skies.

 

 

In September, I was honored to be included in a nine book box set titled, 9 Ways To Fall In Love, including authors, Caroline Clemmons, GeriFoster, DeLaine Roberts, Paty Jager, Beth Trissel, Kathy Ivan, and Anna Jeffery. A wonderful experience.

Now, I'd like to give a sneak preview to two short stories coming to Amazon the first week of November 2013.

 

 

 

The first is, A Santa For Christmas. This little story of romance, hope and magic is about Merry Hernandez and her inability to participate in the Christmas Pageant on the Riverwalk at San Antonio, Texas. Due to circumstances beyond her control, she will be unable to provide the toys or a Santa for the pageant. Will Merry and her business, Very Merry Events, be able to save Christmas?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second short story romance takes place on New Years Eve in Mistletoe, Texas and it's titled, Lilah By Midnight. When Lilah Canfield's motor coach gets stuck in the snow outside her hometown of Mistletoe, will old flame, Jack McCommas, be able to get her to Billy Bob's in Fort Worth to save her career? Or will circumstances change her life forever?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's a pumpkin patch near our house that I'll take my grandson to and get his picture in the middle of all those potential jack o' lanterns. We're planning a large gathering for Thanksgiving this year. I can almost taste the turkey and dressing now. Then, Christmas!

 

How do y'all feel about the upcoming holidays? Good, bad, or indifferent? Leave a comment to share your thoughts and one commenter will receive an early Christmas present from me. I'll gift a free download to one winner for Code of Honor. If you have that one already, then, A Santa For Christmas or Lilah By Midnight when they are published. Don't forget to leave your email in the comments so I can reach you!

Carra

 

CODE OF HONOR buy links Amazon for Kindle ebook and print:  http://tinyurl.com/muln4r9

and, Smashwords for nook, kobo and iTunes:  http://tinyurl.com/llshmbg
 

Find me on my website: http://carracopelin.com
Facebook: http://facebook/carracopelin
Twitter: http://twitter/CarraCopelin

Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/mfynmj2

 

Sass is an Art Form by Joan Reeves

I had an unfortunate habit as a child of saying what was on my mind. Somehow, I looked at the world around me and always came up with a Dorothy Parker-type comment.

While this gained Ms. Parker the rep of being a biting sophisticated wit, it gained me the reputation of being a sassy little girl. Trust me, being sassy wasn't considered a praiseworthy attribute in my small southern town.

While a sassy assessment of people and events might be wonderful for a stand-up comedienne in training, it wasn't considered so wonderful by my parents or teachers. I remember a comment my third-grade teacher wrote on the back of my report card: "Joan talks too much in school."

That did not endear me to the teacher or my parents especially when they knew the kind of sarcastic, funny things I was wont to speak.

Childhood Disaster Makes For Writing Talent

Perhaps that's why I like to write heroines who are armed with an arsenal of sass and aren't afraid to use it. All my books have a lot of dialogue, and my romantic comedy Just One Look is no exception. It's full of romance and humor and sex.

Readers often tell me that they laugh out loud at some of the conversations between characters. In Just One Look, I really got into the dialogue. My heroine Psychologist Jennifer Monroe uses words, innuendo, and sexual tension to twist her hero Gynecologist Dr. Matthew Penrose into a pretzel.

I like writing dialogue, and I work hard to make it humorous. Sometimes it’s witty; sometimes snarky; and sometimes downright funny when my characters speak. A lot of the dialogue in my books is stuff I’d love to say, but never do – maybe because I still hear the voices of my teachers and my parents telling me to think before I speak so I don't sound like a sass mouth.

So that's what I do now. I think before I speak and usually come up with a good half-dozen of sarcastic, amusing retorts that I place in the mouths of my characters. I prize being a sass mouth now. In my opinion, sass is an art form.

I suppose it’s no surprise that I like to collect quotations that are equally sassy and amusing. I honor the smart – and smartass – women who uttered these quotations below. (I like sassy quotes so much that I used some to preface each chapter in another romantic comedy I wrote – Old Enough To Know Better.)

Perhaps you’ll find some of these inspire you in your work in progress or motivate you to succeed. Or maybe they’ll just put a smile on your face. Here are a baker’s dozen that are some of my favorites.

Favorite Sassy Quotations

“I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb ... and I also know that I'm not blonde.” Dolly Parton

“You see a lot of smart guys with dumb women, but you hardly ever see a smart woman with a dumb guy.” Erica Jong

“I think I alternate between optimism and anxiety. I realize that should either of these get out of hand I would probably need a clever doctor.” Elizabeth Jolley

“A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of.” Jane Austen

“If high heels were so wonderful, men would be wearing them.” Sue Grafton

“I think; therefore, I'm single.” Lizz Winstead

“When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country.” Elayne Boosler

“Behind every successful man is a surprised woman.” Maryon Pearson

“The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.” Lucille Ball

“I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house.” Zsa Zsa Gabor

Last, but not least, a wooden sign hanging by my desk: “Put your big girl panties on and deal with it!”

That’s right, just face your challenges head on and deal with them rather than procrastinate, run, or hide – and don't forget to laugh.

Post Script

Today, I'm giving away a Smashwords coupon for a free copy of Just One Look AND 1 free copy of the Audio Book Edition of Old Enough To Know Better.

Anyone on the planet is eligible.

• Make a comment.
• Leave your email address with your comment (not as a hot link but as "address AT domain DOT whatever)
• I'll email you with specifics on how to claim your prize.

Wishing you a very good day filled with lots of laughter!

Buy Just One Look From...

All Romance eBooks, iTunes, Kindle, Kobo, Nook, or Audio Book at Audible or iTunes Audio.

Joan Reeves is a mild-mannered reporter for the Daily Planet who – no, wait, that's someone else. Seriously? Oh. Joan is a multi-published author. Her books are available in ebook, audio, and print. Joan's Motto: "It's never too late to live happily ever after."

Find Joan Online: Blog * Website * Facebook * Google+ * Twitter * YouTube

When should a series die? by Paty Jager

I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about the Halsey Clan who are the center of my Halsey Brothers Series.

Someone suggested that I put a family tree in the front of the trilogy, Halsey Homecoming. So I lay in bed, thinking about how to make the lines for the family tree. I figured I could use Publisher to draw the lines and put in names, marriages, births, and deaths.

After that problem was solved, I started thinking about the five books I've already written and how much of the family members of the women who married the Halsey brothers do I need to have on the tree. The Halsey Homecoming will have Darcy's brother, Jeremy; Aileen's son, Colin; and the blind boy, Donny, from Doctor in Petticoats. I could also do spin-offs for Kelda's brothers from Logger in Petticoats. But my heart isn't in writing Kelda's brothers' stories.

I have an idea for a family of six sisters growing up in the wheat country in Oregon. The idea for the oldest girl has been in my head and jotted down on paper for nearly ten years. That could make another series and I'm more interested in that than continuing the Halsey's after the Homecoming trilogy.

I've read several series over the years and you can tell when an author gets tired of writing about the same family. The stories aren't as interesting and the characters as dynamic.

When as an author do you know to quit a series and when as a reader have you had enough?

This month you can purchase the five book Halsey Brother Series as a box set for $.99.